


A Love So Strong

by I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Magnus gives up his memories, Post Break Up, they get back together in chap 2 don't worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-16 11:07:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18520219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own/pseuds/I_have_a_Mycroft_of_my_very_own
Summary: Now you're just somebody that I...think I used to know...





	1. Do I Know You?

**Author's Note:**

> There is a second chapter to this (the get back together), I'm just too tired to write it right now! Might have it up tomorrow, since it's already half done...

_Waste away,_  
_I'm crawling blind._  
_Followed by what I left inside,_  
_For you, just you._  
_I'm caught in place,_  
_But I ignore what I can't erase._  
  
_I will run and hide,_  
_'Til memories fade away._  
_And I will leave behind,_  
_A love so strong._  
~Hide, Red

* * *

“Magnus?”

“Sorry, do I know you?” Magnus asks, eyeing the _very_ attractive Shadowhunter standing before him, if he were a more foolish man, he’d be doing his very best to pursue.

“What?”

“Did you need something, Shadowhunter? You know I’m no longer High Warlock, I believe Lorenzo Rey is in charge of Brooklyn. I’m just… passing through. The beaches of the South Pacific are calling my name.” Magnus explains, doesn’t understand why the Shadowhunter has become suddenly so ashen. “Are you alright?”

“You’re leaving?”

“Oh, yes, of course. I’ve already overstayed my welcome here, you see. Time to move myself on, I think.” Magnus answers, raising an eyebrow at the Shadowhunter who seems oddly invested in him. “Really, did I know you? I’ve recently traded some memories, you must have been caught up in the trade, I apologize if that’s the case. Though, really, if you don’t need anything, I best be going. I was just stopping by to let the Institute know I was no longer their problem.”

“Problem?”

“My dear, how long have you been a Shadowhunter?” Magnus asks, with a laugh. “Powerful warlocks and former High Warlocks are required to let their local Institute know when they’re moving their residence, they’re also required to let their new local Institute know when they’re moving into the area. Personally, I find it an invasion of my privacy but these are rules we’ve all agreed to live under, so why fight it?”

“Right. You’re just leaving?” The Shadowhunter questions again, looking so utterly gutted that Magnus truly starts to question who this person was to him before his memories were lost.

“Yes. Nothing here for me, you see. My son is all grown up, no longer needs me, he’s even human now, so... My borough has a new High Warlock. Catarina and Madzie are packing up to leave. I apparently gave my house up in a deal, so I don’t have to organize selling that, either. My night club will carry on, I don’t need to be here to keep an eye on it, you understand? Besides, I’ve been wanting to go and relax somewhere there’s lots of sun, sea, sand, and surf, so…” he answers with a grin, before turning. “Anyway, let the handsome one know I’ve taken my leave, alright?”

“The handsome one?” the Shadowhunter calls after him, his voice choked.

“Underhill, I think?” Magnus calls back, shrugging his shoulders. “You’ll figure it out.” Is his parting shot, before he’s out the door and portalling away. Leaving the attractive but strange Shadowhunter behind him. Perhaps he’ll ask Cat about them, they seemed to know him well, though, oddly enough.

* * *

Alec stares after Magnus, a multitude of incoherent thoughts rushing through his mind. Since when did Magnus have a son? Why is Magnus genuinely acting like he has no clue who Alec is? Catarina and Madzie are leaving? Since when? Why is Magnus calling Underhill handsome... again?

His legs take him from OPs, moving through the Institute in search of Underhill, who might possibly have the ability to explain to him just what the hell is going on. Eventually, he gives up the search and goes to the man’s quarters, knocking impatiently at the door until it opens to an annoyed Underhill, who quickly tries to mask his annoyance.

“Lightwood?”

“Underhill, I just had the weirdest talk with Magnus?” Alec asks, scratching his head. “I don’t-“

“Don’t even start.” Underhill groans, shaking his head. “I just had to go through his Exit Procedure and he spent the entire time making eyes at me and asking me if I was sure I was happily in a relationship, he even told me where he's going in case I'd like to change my mind. What the hell is going on, Alec?”

“He said he traded some memories…” Alec answers, uncertain, trying to understand anything that’s just happened.

“Oh.” Underhill states, wincing. “Right, well, that actually does explain a lot…”

“What?”

“Nothing, he’s gone, though, right?” Underhill clarifies, though Alec doesn’t understand the sympathetic look he's suddenly shooting him.

“Huh? Oh, yeah, he said he was leaving immediately and then he… portalled away.” Alec replies with a shrug.

“Thanks, I’ll update the log. That all?” Underhill asks, raising an eyebrow. Alec sighs and nods his head, turning to go and find someone else who might be able to explain things to him.

* * *

Alec’s quest takes him to Catarina’s home, where he knocks on the door a little hesitantly, aware he’s probably the last person she wants to see, a fact confirmed when she opens the door and almost slams it in his face.

“Wait.”

“Go home, Shadowhunter.” Cat states, but she doesn’t shut the door, instead, she looks behind her, before stepping out and closing the door behind her. “What do you want?”

“I saw Magnus this morning. He was… odd.” Alec murmurs, still absolutely confused by the whole ordeal.

“Magnus requested the Silent Brothers remove all his memories of you.” Cat explains, snorts when Alec chokes. “Personally, I don’t blame him. I’d want to forget all about you, too.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Alec finally asks, when he can breathe through the sudden stab of pain in his chest.

“It’s not my story to tell, but if Magnus didn’t erase you from every part of his being, I would have lost my best friend. So, you can do me a favour and never contact me again.” Cat states, crossing her arms over her chest. “Thanks for getting his magic back, but there were other ways that didn’t utterly destroy him, and if you wanted to end things, you could have found a better way. Now, I have to go, Madzie and I are leaving.”

“Yeah, Magnus said… wait, how do you know about the magic?”

“It’s not hard to figure out. Anyway, I’ve got to go. Goodbye Lightwood.” She tells him, before pushing open her door, stepping through, and slamming it in his face.

“I probably deserved that.” Alec mutters to himself, as he continues his quest for answers.

* * *

No one has answers for him, he tries to speak with the Silent Brothers, but there is a reason they’re called that, as he swiftly discovers. Underhill has nothing further to tell him and everyone else is so preoccupied with the latest Clace debacle that they haven’t paid any attention to latest goings on as far as Malec were concerned, and yes, it does concern him that his subordinates have apparently given them all ‘ship names’, even Izzy is on the list with Sizzy, which Alec has yet to work up the courage to question. Long story short, he’s no more informed of the Magnus situation than he was when it was occurring.

All he knows is that Magnus doesn’t know who he is, at all. May never remember him. Ever. It shouldn’t hurt as much as it does, and there’s nothing he can do about it.

* * *

“Cat, darling, I had an odd run in with this Shadowhunter this morning.” Magnus explains, turning on his heel when Cat and Madzie step out of the portal onto the sand outside his New Zealand bach.

“Tall, handsome, dark hair, deflect rune on his neck?” Cat asks, as she swiftly magics herself and Madzie into swim clothes.

“That’s the one!” Magnus exclaims, grinning, and kneeling down to accept the hug Madzie rushes forward to give him. “Hello, precious, how have you been?” Magnus asks, his memories of her are indistinct, clearly, she too was included in the memories that were lost.

“Magnus!” Madzie exclaims, a bright grin on her face. “I’m sorry about Alec hurting you, but we’re better here now!” The girl assures him, before running off to go play in the water.

“Alec?” Magnus asks Cat, his brow furrowing in confusion. “Who is-?”

“Your mysterious Shadowhunter from this morning.” Cat answers with a sigh as she sinks down into the sand, keeping an eye on Madzie. “Do you want to know why you traded your memories, or are you happy to go on blissfully unaware?”

“I hate being out of the loop.” Magnus replies, sitting down beside her.

“Love, you willingly gave up your memories.” She points out to him; he shrugs and rolls his eyes.

“You know what I mean.”

“Your mystery Shadowhunter is named Alexander Lightwood, he’s the current head of the New York Institute and your most recent ex-boyfriend. You broke up about a week ago and you rushed off to have your memories of him removed.” Cat explains, turning to check how he takes the news.

“Why did we break up?” Magnus asks, cocking his head to side, unable to understand why he would let himself date a Shadowhunter in the first place, but even more confused that he was obviously hurt enough to willingly give up three month’s worth of memories just to forget him.

“No one knows. You guys were pretty in love, we were all betting on when one of you would pop the question. Then, out of the blue, you showed up on my doorstep a mess and asked to crash on my couch for the night since you’d broken up with Alec. When I woke up the next morning, you’d already gone to Jem and as a result, the Silent Brothers took your memories.”

“I see.” Magnus answers, even though it is the furthest thing from the truth. “Oh, well. Three months, that’s nothing to us.” He shrugs, lying back in the sand to look up at the clouds above. “He’ll be ashes and dust soon enough.”

“One day, you’re going to remember him, all the time you spent together. You’ll remember how happy you were, and you’ll regret saying that.” Cat warns him, but Magnus just shrugs.

“I’ll survive, dearest. I always do.”

“That’s what I’m worried about.” Cat answers, before getting up with a sigh to go play in the water with Madzie when the little girl calls her over, leaving Magnus alone with his thoughts and the hole where his memories should have been.

* * *

_Close my eyes, these voices stay,_  
_Haunting me, I can't escape._  
_For you, just you,_  
_Time will always wait._  
_While I throw away,_  
_What I can't replace._  
  
_I will run and hide,_  
_'Til memories fade away._  
_And I will leave behind,_  
_A love so strong._  
~Hide, Red


	2. I Know You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't realize until I'd written it, but this is set three months after the break up, officially it is January, where it is summer in NZ and winter in New York. So our boys have been broken up for as long as they were ever dating...
> 
> So, like, this is not where I envisioned this chapter going?!?!?! I even went back and changed what I wrote last night because the boys obviously had other ideas?!?

_And I remember everything,_  
_Everything I loved._  
_I gave it away like it wasn't enough._  
_All the words I said and all you forgive._  
_How could I hurt you again?_  
  
_What if I let you win?_  
_What if I make it right?_  
_What if I give it up?_  
_What if I want to try?_  
_What if you take a chance?_  
_What if I learn to love?_  
_What if, what if we start again?_  
~Start Again, Red

* * *

Months go by, and with each day that passes, New York becomes, bit by bit, a distant memory for Magnus. Catarina sets down roots, starts work at the local hospital, while Magnus spends the day time teaching Madzie age appropriate magic as well as the mundane subjects she’d have learnt had she attended a mundane school. Their favourite class is swim class, out on the beautiful blue water, where Magnus is taking the time to teach her how to swim, before he will teach her how to surf.

That’s where the past finds them, memories suddenly flashing in front of his eyes, as he's teaching Madzie how to float. He gasps, and pressing a hand to his forehead, clenching his eyes tightly shut against the sudden stabbing pain that rushes through his brain.

“Magnus?” Madzie asks, frantically kicking her legs to stay afloat at his side, her little hands scrambling for his arms.

“Can you portal us to shore?” Magnus questions, through gritted teeth, not trusting his own control to get them safely out of the water. Madzie doesn’t answer him, but Magnus feels the shift in the air around him as the portal forms and so isn’t surprised when he suddenly finds himself kneeling in the sand.

“I’ll fire message mama!” Madzie tells him, squeezing his arm tightly before letting go. Magnus tries to respond but the pain is overwhelming and he bites his lip instead, trying so desperately not to cry out and scare the little girl who means the world to him. Slowly, he lets himself fall back against the sand, pressing both of his hands against his head and forcing himself to breathe through the pain of it as he sinks into the memories that are rushing through his mind, faster than he can think.

“Magnus?” Catarina’s frantic voice tugs him free and he groans.

“My memories.” He explains his breath hitching, he squeezes tightly to her hand when she grabs his own, as he tries not to let the memories pull him down again, to get lost in them the way he knows it is possible to do, to get lost and never return.

“Someone has broken the magic.” Cat murmurs, pressing her free hand to Magnus’ temple and closing her eyes. “I’m going to knock you out.” Cat finally decides and prompts her magic to do so before Magnus can even find the energy to argue, as the darkness reaches out and swallows him.

* * *

He comes awake slowly, aware of the sound of the crashing waves and a little hand held tightly in his own, which pulls a smile from his lips as he opens his eyes.

“Madzie?”

“Magnus!” The girl exclaims, scrambling up onto his chest to wrap her arms around his neck, as he groans at the sudden weight.

“Hi, honey, where’s your mother?” He asks, sighing in relief when she shifts back to sitting at his side, rather than on him.

“She’s yelling at someone called Jem over the phone.” Madzie replies, shrugging her shoulders.

“Oh, so someone is in trouble then.” Magnus states, with a smile as he starts to sit himself up on the sand, Madzie reaching out to be helpful, the way she’s seen her mum do. “Do you know how long I was sleeping?”

“Hmm, an hour?” Madzie says, shrugging her shoulders again. “Not sure.”

“Okay. I’m going to take you to your mum, then I’ve got to go and see someone, okay?” he asks her, smiling when she nods happily at him.

“Are you going to see Alec?” She queries, biting her lip.

“As a matter of fact, I am.” Magnus agrees, with a little smile for her, even though his feelings towards Alec are not at all straightforward, especially with the way the memories shift and scatter around his mind, moving just out of his reach when he tries to focus on any one of them.

“Can you tell him I miss him?” the little girl asks, shyly.

“Of course, darling. I’ll be sure to let him know, and I’m sure he’s missed you, too. Now, let’s go find your mother.” He says, pushing himself up onto his feet, and glancing down at his drying, but still wet board shorts, and with a frown decides he’ll magic them into something else once he’s inside, as he reaches out to take Madzie’s hand and pull her to her feet. 

“Okay.”

* * *

“Hello, Alexander.”

Alec leaps about a foot in the air at the voice that suddenly catches him off guard in the park outside the Institute and he kicks himself for letting his guard down, despite being injured. He’d figured so close to the Institute, he was safe.

“Magnus!” he exclaims in annoyance, as he presses his hand over his chest, tries to calm his racing heart and ignore the sudden, increased throbbing in his head. Before his brain stutters to a stop for just a moment, finally recognizing the voice and why that’s more of a shock than anything else. “Magnus?” he whirls in the direction the sound had come from, stumbling a little, and sees Magnus leaning against the side of the Institute, it’s dark but Alec can still make out the healthy, tanned glow on Magnus’ skin. The outfit, though, is definitely not something he’s seen Magnus wear before, the beautiful flower printed sarong tied around his waist, and a light jacket that appears to have been hastily thrown on over his bare skin. Alec doesn’t know how Magnus isn’t shivering in the cold night air. “Ar-are you real?” Alec asks, reaching up to press his fingers gently against the aching wound on the back of his head he’d taken earlier in a fight with a ravener demon, thankfully the wound had stopped bleeding somewhere between the battle and the Institute, thanks to the iratze.

“You’re hurt.” Magnus exclaims, stepping forward quickly, magic glowing between them as he reaches up to heal the wound. “And, yes, I’m real.”

“What are you doing back?” Alec asks, relieved when the pain begins to lessen, but not the dizziness that he’s pretty sure comes from blood loss. “I thought you were enjoying the South Pacific?”

“Would you believe that eventually the sun, sea, surf, and sand start to get boring?” Magnus questions, guiding Alec to a nearby bench, still fussing at his wound. “You’ve lost a lot of blood, not enough for a transfusion, but you’re going to have to drink a lot of water and get a lot of rest, with someone checking on you, of course.”

“Right.” Alec replies, not at all convinced this isn’t a hallucination. “Are you back for good?”

“Well, that depends. Did you break up with me so I’d have my magic back?” Magnus asks, grabs a hold of Alec when the Shadowhunter stands up quickly and immediately pitches forward, Magnus pulls him back down on the bench. “Please don’t pass out on me, I really wouldn’t know how to explain that to your Shadowhunters, also, I’m taking your reaction as confirmation.” Alec snorts in response and closes his eyes, pressing his hand to his forehead.

“How’d you find out? Your father said…”

“Oh, I can just imagine what he said.” Magnus snaps, before squeezing Alec’s arm in apology. “Sorry, uh, once I got my memories back, it wasn’t hard to see what you’d done.”

“You’ll lose your magic if you father learns that you know.” Alec points out, reaching out to grip Magnus’ hand tight. “It’ll be for nothing if-“

“Shh, Alexander, it’s okay.” Magnus soothes, smiling softly. “When Cat finally told me that I’d given my magic away in a deal and she didn’t know how I got it back, I took precautions.” Magnus explains, pressing his hand flat over his own chest, glowing with magic, when he pulls his hand away, Alec sees an unknown rune scarred into Magnus’ chest, right over his heart. “My father will have to physically seek me out to remove my magic now, and considering I banished him back to Edom when he showed up in the South Pacific… Actually, anyone trying to take my magic will have to forcefully take it from me, so for now, I’m safe.” He explains, sealing the scar behind a glamour again.

“So, he can’t take your magic from you?”

“No, no one can.” Magnus confirms, smiling as Alec slumps against him in relief. “Now, you asked if I was back for good, do you want me to be back for good?”

“I want _you._ ” Alec replies, though he knows he shouldn’t and without the strength to pull away, even though he should, even though he knows he’ll pay for this illusion in the morning. But he can’t just pull away, his body feeling leaden, so he gives in, clings to Magnus as tightly as he can. “I want you and with your magic back, you can live wherever you want and still see me every day.”

“That is very true and I do love where I’m living at the moment.” Magnus answers with a little hum. “If you don’t mind occasionally being portalled to New Zealand and back, I’m willing to be in a not-so-long distance relationship, but perhaps we should speak about this later, since you’re about to pass out in my arms, despite my very reasonable request that you not do that…”

“Missed you.” Alec whispers, before closing his eyes and letting unconsciousness claim him. Magnus solves the awkward questions by portalling Alec to the entrance way of the Institute, right in front of the guards, and letting them worry about how he got there and getting him tucked into bed. Then he portals himself home, resolving to see Alec again in the morning… really, really early in the morning, he corrects as he suddenly realizes that he’s forgotten to take the time zones into consideration. It’s no matter, he thinks, promising to make it work.

Now that there’s a chance to have Alexander back in his life, he refuses to go without, well, now that he remembers exactly who Alexander is and what he means to him, that is.

* * *

He doesn’t sleep at all that night, not for a lack of trying, just can’t seem to get his mind to settle enough, which shouldn’t be a surprise. He has three month’s worth of memories to process and understand. So, it really isn’t any surprise that sleep refuses to claim him.

At some point, he gets frustrated enough to go and sit on the beach, listening to the crashing of the waves and looking up at the stars above. He hadn’t wanted his memories back, but if he can have them and Alec, it’s a price he’s willing to pay. Of course, he’ll still find time to go and scream at Jem for freeing his memories without any warning, even if the Shadowhunter thought they were doing what was best, when they were on their way out of the City of Bones, no longer a Silent Brother.

It’s three thirty in the morning when he finally gets restless enough to portal back to New York, after ensuring his clothing is more appropriate for midday than the middle of the night, and more appropriate for a city in winter than for the beach in summer, which is what he’d worn yesterday, and bitterly regretted it, having just magicked up whatever had first come to mind once he was back inside the bach. Though he's thankful for the jacket Cat had thrown at him as he was about to portal away, otherwise he'd have regretted his life choices even more than he already had. If it wasn't for his magic, he'd probably have frozen to death waiting for Alec to come back.

He appears in the park, at the same bench from the night before, he considers going to make a racket at the door, demanding to be let in to see Alec, but eventually decides against that and simply sends Alec a fire message instead.

_I assume you’re awake by now, but head wounds are tricky. I’m in the park if you’re ready to talk! ~ Magnus_

He sinks down onto the bench, conjures himself a book to read and waits.

* * *

Alec wakes with a pounding in the back of his mind that is the very familiar tell of a head wound, of course, Magnus had healed it the night before but…

“Magnus.” Alec exclaims, reaching up to feel the back of his head, sucking in a breath when he finds the wound completely healed, it hadn’t been a dream. Even with the iratze, it would take at least a full day to heal a headwound the likes of which he’d had, so it had to be real. Magnus had come back; Magnus’ memories have come back. He’d come back for Alec.

Alec takes a few moments to process that, and then decides he needs more time, that he was injured in the line of duty yesterday, he’s the Head of the Institute, so he’s entitled to have a day off to figure himself out. So, he stays in bed, trying to come to terms with the night before, with the months that have passed. Knows he desperately wants Magnus back, is not willing to ever let the warlock go again, if he can just have him back.

He doesn’t pay any attention to the time passing until a fire message appears in the air above him, slowly drifting down to rest on the duvet. He frowns at it, then picks it up to read, his breath stolen away. Magnus is _here._

It’s probably embarrassing how quickly the message gets him out of bed, but there’s no one to question his desperation, as he quickly sends Magnus a message back, letting Magnus know he’ll be there in a bit, and hurries off to shower and get ready.

* * *

Alec doesn’t really know what to expect when he goes into the park and heads around the corner to the bench he’d sat with Magnus at the night before. A part of him is still not sure this isn’t a dream, or the hallucinations of a dying mind, but he’s willing to fall for it either way. So, when he steps from the shadow of the Institute and sees Magnus sitting on the bench, dressed up so smartly, similar to how he used to dress before, and his face buried in a book, Alec’s breath is stolen from his chest. Eventually, he shakes off the shock and crosses to the bench, sinking down beside Magnus, who glances at him for a second and then turns his attention back to his book, holding up his finger to silence Alec when he goes to speak. Finally, after a few moments, Magnus marks the page and lets it close with a snap, magicking it away and turning his full attention to Alec.

“Apologies, you interrupted the best part.” Magnus says, with a grin. “You’re looking a lot better.” He murmurs, reaching out to scan him with magic. “Healed, wonderful.”

“You’re really here.” Alec whispers, reaching up to grab Magnus’ hand in his own, holding on to it tightly like a life line as his breath shakes over his lips.

“I thought we established that last night.” Magnus points out, grinning. “Though, you did have a head wound and I'm pretty sure you've still got a small concussion...”

“I’m still not convinced this isn’t some dream, or that I’m not really dying and you’re just… something my mind conjured up to carry me gently into the dark.” Alec answers, because he can’t believe Magnus is here, not after that final meeting, where Magnus had no idea who he was. No idea what they’d been.

“Oh, Alexander.” Magnus murmurs, gripping Alec’s hand tight, then reaching up with his free hand to caress Alec’s face. “I’m truly here and you’re not dying, I won’t let you.”

“Did you somehow become god over life and death since we last spoke?” Alec asks, despite himself, a teasing grin pulling at his lips.

“No.” Magnus answers, before he pauses. “Did you want me to?” he asks after a beat; Alec laughs and rolls his eyes. “No, I’ve spent my time teaching Madzie, she misses you, by the way.”

“I miss her, too. Was she… okay? You guys all left pretty abruptly.”

“I’m not sure she understands what happened, to be perfectly honest. She knows you hurt me somehow and so has done her best not to mention you these last few months, but when my memories came back, and it was clear I was going to see you, she wanted you to know that she misses you.” Magnus replies, shrugging his shoulders. “I’m sure she’d be pleased if you came for a visit.”

“Right.” Alec responds with a nod. “Though I don’t think Cat would be pleased…”

“Cat’ll get over it.” Magnus assures him, before looking across the park at loud voices, watches as a group of Shadowhunters rushes out into the city. “Do you need to go and be involved in that?”

“Nah, they can handle themselves for a day.” Alec states, shaking his head. “I’m officially on sick leave.”

“So, it would be a bad idea to take you on a date right now, then?” Magnus asks, raising an eyebrow and grinning when Alec gives him a shocked look. “Darling, I’m very invested in being able to call you mine, once again.”

“I feel a little cheated, last time I got a kiss before we even went on our first date, now you’re just going to dangle dates in front of my face?” Alec retorts, pressing his hand over his chest. “You wound me.” Magnus laughs and leans forward to press a gentle kiss to Alec’s lips, when he tries to pull away, Alec follows him and within seconds the kiss becomes suddenly more heated, until Magnus finally wrenches away, breathing heavily. “You have a head wound.”

“Healed.” Alec replies, just as breathlessly.

“Possible concussion. And even so. We should be careful, how about I portal us back to my home and we can lie on the beach? The sun won’t have come up yet, but the sky is beautiful to watch.” Magnus offers, determined to be the more reasonable of the two. Even though Alec’s head wound is mended, his body still has to figure that out and reset itself from the shock of the original wound.

“Fine, but I reserve the right to steal kisses!” Alec states, causing Magnus to laugh.

“As you wish, love.” He murmurs, forming a portal and whisking them away. They land on the beach, true to his word, the sun is not yet up, though the sky is starting to lighten enough that the sun is sure to be making its appearance soon. Magnus magics a blanket on the sand, held in place by small stakes stabbed into the sand, then he turns and looks down at his outfit and Alec’s and swiftly magics the pair of them into board shorts and singlets, grinning when Alec yells in surprise.

“Warn a guy next time!” Alec exclaims, but he’s laughing so Magnus doesn’t take offense. He magics another blanket up, for if they get cold, and then sinks down to his knees, pulling Alec down beside him.

“I’ve missed you.” He admits, even if he's only been able to remember Alec for a few hours, he's still missed him in that time, he thinks as they both lie down on the blanket, staring into each other’s eyes, each holding onto the other’s hand between them, listening to the gentle crashing of the waves against the shore.

“I missed you, too. Wha-what made you get your memories back?” Alec asks, licking his lips, unsure if he should be asking the question.

“It was an accident. Brother Zachariah took my memories, they were stored in the City of Bones, and if I wanted them, I could go and claim them from him when I was ready. But Brother Zachariah has discovered a way to stop being a Silent Brother, on his way out of the City, he freed my memories, as he wasn’t certain I’d be able to get back in later, if I decided I wanted them again.” Magnus explains, frowning. “I might actually owe Jem a favour now, rather than being able to chew him out for not asking me first…”

“How about I thank him, while you still chew him out?” Alec proffers, with a smirk.

“That’s cruel, I like it.” Magnus states, grinning brightly. “Though, I’ll have to find him first, I imagine he and Tessa are off making up for lost time…”

“Speaking of lost time.” Alec whispers, moving forward to claim Magnus’ lips in a kiss. “I told you I was going to steal kisses.”

“You know, there’s a good song and an amazing drink called Sex on the Beach. As for the experience itself, well…” Magnus says with a suggestive little grin. “Unfortunately for us, I’d have to put wards up to keep Madzie out, and warding takes time.”

“How sad.” Alec replies, with a little pout and Magnus can’t help but move forward to kiss it away.

“Next time.” He promises, laughing when Alec kisses him again. “Definitely next time.”

“Mhm, you think there’s going to be a next time?” Alec asks, a grin forming on his lips. “Magnus, darling, you haven’t even taken me on a date yet.”

“This doesn’t count?” Magnus asks, raising an unimpressed eyebrow.

“Well, I suppose…” Alec eventually agrees, causing Magnus to laugh, and shove him. “So, do I still get to have Make Up Sex, since we totally didn’t get to have Break Up Sex? Izzy has, against my express wishes, told me things and I’ve missed out… _twice.”_

“The Break Up Sex or the Make Up Sex?” Magnus asks, trying valiantly to keep a straight face. Alec considers the question for a few moments before scowling.

“Both.” Magnus thinks on that answer, before nodding when he realizes Alec is entirely correct. They’ve broken up twice and made up twice and yet had neither Break Up Sex nor Make Up Sex either time.

“Oh, very well.” Magnus finally gives in, sitting up. “There aren’t any sound wards in the house, so you’re going to have to be quiet, Madzie and Cat are staying with me.” He explains at Alec’s confused look.

“You know, we have Silence runes for a reason.” Alec points out, causing Magnus to laugh.

“Somehow, I doubt it’s so you can have sex without waking up an entire household, Alexander.”

“Excuse me, who is the Shadowhunter of the two of us?” Alec questions, sitting up and crossing his arms over his chest. “That’s right, _me_.”

“You’re such a dork, I love you.” Magnus admits, without regret, smiling at the doe eyed look Alec gives him in return. “Come on, I promised Make Up Sex, and I’m doing all the work, because you’re still an invalid!” Magnus states, before leaning forward to press a kiss to Alec’s lips as he portals them away.

And so, they lived happily ever after, at least, they did once Magnus figured out how to be a god over life and death and guarantee immortality for Alec, but that’s another story…

* * *

 _All this time_  
_I can make it right_  
_With one more try._  
_Can we start again?_  
_In my eyes_  
_You can see it now._  
_Can we start again, can we start again?_

 _One more try._  
_Can we start again?_  
_In my eyes. Can you forgive me now?_  
_Can we start again?_  
~Start Again, Red


End file.
